| Cult of Mac

High praise for hard-to-find Bose speakers [Setups]

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The little Bose speaker on the stand to the left of the display is, apparently, a keeper. But it's hard to come by.
The little Bose speaker on the stand to the left of the display is, apparently, a keeper. But it's hard to come by.
Photo: Federico_Rosellini@Reddit.com

The main gear in a computer setup might be perfectly impressive, like the Mac Studio desktop machine in today’s featured setup. But that’s not what everyone looking at the workstation notices and talks about on social media.

Instead, the coveted items in this particular setup are a Bose speaker system folks are having a hard time finding, plus a Belkin Continuity Camera mount that helps you use an iPhone as a webcam.

How old do you have to be to still have a printer? [Setups]

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You don't see a printer right in the setup all that often. People took notice.
You don't see a printer right in the setup all that often. People took notice.
Photo: Consistent_Order5375@Reddit.com

We come across setups with printers from time to time, though they’re usually off to the side and perhaps only occasionally used. But today’s featured setup with a MacBook Air, a 2016 12-inch MacBook and a 20-inch Cinema Display keeps the printer right in the main mix.

This took some commenters by surprise. They noted why they never print anymore and grilled the user about his age, which turned out to be a lot lower number than expected.

‘Budget’ MacBook Air workstation doesn’t look cheap [Setups]

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Christian Panea setup
It's a "budget" setup, but it really doesn't look it.
Photo: Christian Panea@Workspace Setups Addict

Some budget computer setups look the part — cheap, utilitarian, uninspired, incomplete — and others don’t. Today’s featured setup falls in the latter category. You look at the well-equipped workstation and the word “cheap” doesn’t occur to you.

Against a DIY desk and pegboard, the setup features an M1 MacBook Air, dual Dell displays, some nice AV gear and plenty of nice touches.

Today in Apple history: HP’s iPod comes out of the blue

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The Apple iPod + HP flopped, but it was still a savvy business move for Apple
Do you remember the HP-branded iPod?
Photo: Keegan/Wikipedia CC

January 8: Today in Apple history: Apple iPod + HP debuts January 8, 2004: The clumsily named Apple iPod + HP, a Hewlett-Packard-branded iPod, makes it debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Shown off by Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, the prototype device is blue, the color used for HP’s branding. By the time it arrives on the market later that year, however, the device is the same shade of white as the regular iPod. It doesn’t hang around for long, either.

Oddly square LG DualUp display spotted in wild with Mac Studio [Setups]

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It's hard to look at anything but that weird, square display.
It's hard to look at anything but that weird, square display.
Photo: blakespot@Reddit.com

Displays aren’t just going up from 4K to 5K and beyond, they’re also taking new forms. Today’s featured setup is the first we’ve seen with the recently released LG DualUp monitor in real-world use. It features an unusual 16:18 aspect ratio. Here it’s paired with an older LG display and a Mac Studio.

And this setup also includes Steve Jobs. Play some “Where’s Steve?” (not Waldo) and see if you can spot him.

HP debuts first monitor with ‘IPS Black’ contrast and Thunderbolt 4

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HP's new display, coming soon, offers IPS Black contrast and speedy Thunderbolt 4 connections.
HP's new display, coming soon, offers IPS Black contrast and speedy Thunderbolt 4 connections.
Photo: HP

HP rolled out a new 4K monitor at its Amplify Executive Forum Thursday, calling it “the world’s first IPS Black display with Thunderbolt 4 technology.”

The HP Z32k G3 4K USB-C Display, “coming soon” at an unspecified price, should appeal to creators and product developers, the company said.

That’s because it will offer strong color accuracy and high contrast in addition to the speed and versatility of Thunderbolt 4 connectivity.

Supply chain problems hurt Mac and entire PC industry

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Some MacBook Pro wait times already stretch nearly to Christmas
Apple's inability to keep up with demand for MacBook Pro and other Mac models hurt the company in Q2 2022.
Photo: Apple

Mac shipments dropped a whopping 20% in the June quarter, according to a market-research firm. But it wasn’t just Apple struggling – shipments of all the top PC-makers declined.

COVID lockdowns in China this spring hurt production for all these companies, lowering the number of computers they could ship to consumers.

HP monitor sports pop-up webcam with Center Stage-like tracking

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The webcam pops up and keeps you centered in the frame, a la Center Stage.
The webcam pops up and keeps you centered in the frame, a la Center Stage.
Photo: HP

A new report said HP plans to release a 1440p USB-C monitor with a built-in webcam that pops up and features tracking much like Apple’s Center Stage used in iPad models.

The display should serve professionals who want decent pixel density but don’t need the top-shelf visuals a graphics professional might.

Apple takes title as world’s No. 1 computer-maker

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Apple takes title as world’s No. 1 computer-maker
All of these are computers, and all contributed to Apple’s share of the global computer market.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple shipped more computers in the first three months of 2022 than any of its rivals, according to a market research firm. Increasing Mac sales helped Apple take the top spot away from Lenovo in the global market for laptops, desktops and tablets.

Apple could have done even better but supply constraints cut into the number of iPads it was able to ship.

Wish you could make that cable go away? Here’s how. [Setups]

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What would you do with that cable on the left?
What would you do with that cable on the left?
Photo: Dialect_117@Reddit.com

Many a near-pristine computer setup is marred by one pretty ugly thing: a power cable. People pride themselves on having “one-cable” setups, where gear plugs into other gear or works wirelessly, and the whole shebang depends on one cable going into the wall outlet from a hub or a power strip. Others get as close as they can to that Zen-like state of near cableless-ness.

Today’s featured setup has that one, nagging cable. And we’re here to help make it go away.